Do I need antivirus if I run fedora 16?

[johnnytda]

Hi friends, I want to ask you, do I need antivirus if I run fedora? I am new to linux, and I soon gave up his window Gates (Windows OS).On Windows I course I need antivirus.

[sea]

If you browse alot of pron or warez (this includes game cheats) sites, then yes, even on linux.
If you just check your mail, write some letters, watch videos, then nope.

Mainly this is because Fedora (or other Linux Distro's) offer a wide range of applications which are in the repo's of the given distro. By that, the chances to get a virus are pretty low.

AFAIK: As a further info, you already have a firewall built in, which works via the ip tables.

[leigh123linux]

Originally Posted by sea

If you browse alot of pron or warez (this includes game cheats) sites, then yes, even on linux.
If you just check your mail, write some letters, watch videos, then nope.

Mainly this is because Fedora (or other Linux Distro's) offer a wide range of applications which are in the repo's of the given distro. By that, the chances to get a virus are pretty low.

AFAIK: As a further info, you already have a firewall built in, which works via the ip tables.

That is complete ********!

[sea]

Originally Posted by leigh123linux

That is complete ********!

@ Leigh
Ok, beside IT beeing complete ..... tell me better.
AFAIK, virues are catched in 2 occasions.
1) browsing interenet (THIS MAY BE RELEVANT, in some occasions at least)
2) open emails of UNknown's with attachments.

Now most 'official' web pages dont 'support' viruses. IF they're hacked its another topic.
MANY of these pron and warez sites DO 'share' virus', allthough they mostly targeting windows.

Sorry dude, but just coming along saying i'm talking compelte BS, tell me better, i want to learn.
As long you just say i talk BS, by BS'itting it, you talk BS yourself.
And by far, its a better advice than nothing (as you just did). At least thats my 2 cents.

@ Garteth, what would be such a "properly configured server" ?
I havent found a Tut or lib about how to set up 'properly', which differs on each occasion anyway.

EDIT:
@ Leigh: OR do you want to tell me, that Pron and Warez sites do NOT 'provide' virues to be spread?
If so, please tell me your adress and bank nr, i'll donate you some $$$.. right? (Joda speach: ironic part is, this line)

[leigh123linux]

Originally Posted by sea

Ok, beside IT beeing complete ..... tell me better.
AFAIK, virues are catched in 2 occasions.
1) browsing interenet
2) open emails with attachments.

Now most 'official' web pages dont 'support' viruses. IF they're hacked its another topic.

Sorry dude, but just coming along saying i'm talking compelte BS, tell me better, i want to learn.
As long you just say i talk BS, by BS'itting it, you talk BS yourself.
And by far, its a better advice than nothing (as you just did). At least thats my 2 cents.

Neither of those thing can affect the root / without someone giving the root password.

Sorry dude, but just coming along saying i'm talking compelte BS, tell me better, i want to learn.

You started the crock so you can provide evidence to back your outrageous claims.

[Gareth Jones]

Originally Posted by sea

@ Garteth, what would be such a "properly configured server" ?
I havent found a Tut or lib about how to set up 'properly', which differs on each occasion anyway.

Well, I'm not a server admin so I can only say what I'm aware of, but presumably daemons that are listening on the network would run as their own individual users, with their own SELinux contexts, possibly in chroot, configured to allow what needs to be done and no more, and kept up-to-date with security patches. Unused ports completely fire-walled. There are plenty of further things that can be done (virtualization, various compiler options, etc.) but those would be the basics I guess. It's not the kind of thing for a simple tutorial, more something you'd learn from experience and supervision.

Gareth

[sea]

Ty Gareth, Bob, i've just learned something new, hope the same counts for the OP.

[Mariusz W]

Originally Posted by sea

AFAIK, virues are catched in 2 occasions.
1) browsing interenet (THIS MAY BE RELEVANT, in some occasions at least)
2) open emails of UNknown's with attachments.

There are several other that I saw

3) plugging in a USB drive with a virus modified AUTORUN.INF (saw it several times)

4) bringing up a computer in a local area network with infected computers.

In either case, of course, this affected only Windows.

[suman007]

Originally Posted by sea

If you browse alot of pron or warez (this includes game cheats) sites, then yes, even on linux.
If you just check your mail, write some letters, watch videos, then nope.

Mainly this is because Fedora (or other Linux Distro's) offer a wide range of applications which are in the repo's of the given distro. By that, the chances to get a virus are pretty low.

AFAIK: As a further info, you already have a firewall built in, which works via the ip tables.

I use fedora as a dual boot with windows 7. so, do I need an anti virus to prevent my system from getting infected by a malware which might get downloaded in linux and execute and infect my system when i am using windows?

[beaker_]

If I understand that sentence right (?) then I doubt it. But if you're running Winbloz without any sort of virus protection... well... that's neither Linux's problem nor part of Linux's worries.

[johnnytda]

I have a question, I installed wine, because I want to run some Windows programs. Possible to virus my computer?

[sea]

Shooting into the blue i'd say, given the assumption your using either FOSS or bought the SW, and not browsing pron/warez sites with IE of Wine.. then i'd say no.

[Gareth Jones]

Well, I don't know what sea gets up to but I've never heard of anything spreading in the Linux wild that a virus checker would stop. Dodgy sites might try to exploit weaknesses in Firefox in generic or possibly even Linux-targeted ways, but I doubt a virus checker would prevent that. Just keep internet-related software up to date and properly locked-down, and use common sense.

For all practical purposes, an up-to-date properly-configured Linux system is immune to viruses. (Unless you run as root, but even then you're unlikely to get an actual virus, just because there aren't any spreading – you're just a lot more susceptible general security exploits.) People run virus checkers on Linux mainly on servers to catch Windows viruses on their through to Windows clients. On a desktop, they're just a waste of resources.

On a server, "properly-configured" involves some work with firewalling and making sure that networked daemons are isolated to the minimum resources and privileges that they need to function, but for a desktop the out-of-the-box defaults are fine.

As for Wine, it might be possible for a virus to infect and individual user's installation, but it's unlikely to do much damage and certainly cannot touch the underlying Linux. Again, only run trusted software in Wine, and only use native Linux tools for connecting to the internet as far as possible.

Gareth

[sea]

I had to edit my post, due to forgetin the "unkown" part.
But well, you're kind of a crack yourself, so you know what CAN be done.

Now just because you're kind, that doesnt mean that others who know what CAN be done, dont do it.

10 Years ago...
I've been a kind of a script kiddy, i've passed firewalls by using diffrent ports, and got acess to some plans of pentagon and to some adresses and phone nrs of CIA employes and some information about issues the FAA had back then.
Either way, i'm a kind person, i dont give a **** about what CAN be done with this data. I have it and i keep or destroy it.
10 years ago ONE could get accurate ifnormation about YOUR system, just because a simple 0x0 transparent icon was loaded on SOME weppage.
Today we're advanced.....
Think about it and tell me again, i talk BS, even if I hadnt done so.. someONE surely was able to.

EDIT PS:
Since then i believe in UFO's, but thats antoher Topic

EDIT 2:
That arguing going to be way off topic. It was past, I've made some of my experiences back then.
But we may continues this argueing in PM's. If you may lead it back to topic, you're welcome to do so.

[ElderSnake]

SWAT team through sea's window in 3...2...1...